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AIBU?

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Original poster

Lapland disappointment

197 replies

AbagailsFancy · 23/12/2019 08:44

I know this is a first world problem but am upset and need to get perspective so would appreciate some common sense.

Took the kids (8 and 6) to see the real Santa in the Santa Village in Lapland this week. Long trip and some hard saving to get there. Lovely day in the snow, saw reindeer etc but kids were both in tears after Santa visit - huge queues, he just nodded to them and asked they sit for a photo. We tried to talk a bit but frankly were caught on the hop as he said nothing!

I’m really gutted. Not only did it put a huge damper on the day, but both are very meh about Christmas now. Am just so disappointed that this is what they’ll remember for years and just can’t shake it off.

DH thinks I’m being ridiculous and overly obsessed with everything being magical. I know (somewhere deep deep down) that he’s right but can someone please just give my head a wobble? Thank you!

OP posts:
ScreamingValalalalahLalalalah · 23/12/2019 12:13

YANBU - Surely the whole point is that Santa is jolly and nice to the children? I completely understand that he probably gets Santa fatigue after speaking to dozens of children, but the organisers could easily manage that by having plenty of Santas and making sure their shifts aren't too long.

ChinUpChestOut · 23/12/2019 12:45

We went to Rovaniemi 4 years ago - cost a lot, but not as much as others as we organised our own cheap flights (didn't travel from UK). We were there 3 nights, and did reindeer racing (ours was called Kimi Raikonnen....), husky dog sledding, walking on ice, snowmobiling etc but for me the highlight was the REAL Santa visiting the hotel. I went nuts. DH abandoned me and went to the bar, DS thought I'd lost my mind (TBF he was 16) and it was me and the Italian tourists all shrieking "papa Noel papa Noel" and gathering around him demanding to sit on his knee for photos. Utterly hysterical, DS and DH can't mention it without laughing their heads off and DS (now 20) still refers to him as the REAL Santa, and we all think it was probably the best short holiday we've ever had.

I wish I'd known there was a ride through the forest option, with dancing elves, but I'd probably have spontaneously combusted from the excitement.

OP - you can make this memory whatever you want it to be. Remind your DC of the fun bits, and laugh together at your grumpy Santa. It won't be forgotten.

BloodyCats · 23/12/2019 12:48

I don’t think you are BU. We go to see a free Santa every year at our local shopping centre, he’s always consistent in how happy and friendly he is. He picks up on names and little details quickly and my children absolutely love him!

If you are playing Santa you should play him properly.

Softskin88 · 23/12/2019 13:03

We went to see Santa at the same place we have always gone..

Unfortunately this year “Santa” was not the same Santa as previous years. Much younger, different voice and different banter.

DD (who is now 6 and questions everything) noticed that it wasn’t the same Santa as previous years and is now questioning whether he is real or not.

We’ve just given a “maybe it was one of his helpers this year because of all the bad weather, or maybe he’s had a magic elixir that’s made him younger”. She’s not upset or worried and has now moved on.

I’m sure it’s all better than going with the boring old “Santa doesn’t exist” from the beginning...?

Zastler · 23/12/2019 14:09

We used to live just down the road from the real Santa and went to see him on a weekly basis. He is usually chatty and speaks many languages. We got our 5 year old to ask him all sorts of existential questions, like "does god exist?"... But the days leading up to Xmas are mayhem. There are just too many people to be able to have a chat with everyone or anyone. A secondary Santa in the big shop across the car park is usually less busy. I hope you got a lot out of the general atmosphere, the snow, the reindeer... Tonight, I think, is also the big Santa send off when he rides into the forest on the sleigh. Also busy though.

What's magic beyond belief is to hang out with the elves in the forest. Rovaniemi Tourist Info can book it. You walk following lights into the deep forest,where the elves wake up and then get to eat some porridge with them. I can't make it sound as good as it is.

draughtycatflap · 23/12/2019 15:21

You walk following lights into the deep forest,where the elves wake up and then get to eat some porridge

You went into the dark wood and ate Elf porridge? Oh my!

Andysbestadventure · 23/12/2019 15:28

The best, and most magical Santa we've ever seen was one in Dobbies.

Just goes to show money doesn't buy everything. Also you do sound entirely obsessed with making it 'magical'. For kids Lapland is just overwhelming and exhausting, let alone the journey there 🙄

Yarboosucks · 23/12/2019 18:00

Kids aged 6 & 8 in tears over "Santa"!?! Then I think they are old enough to be told to stop being so ungrateful.

Pfefferkuchen · 23/12/2019 18:03

some posters are so unpleasant, must be a shit life to end up like that.

Wishihadanalgorithm · 23/12/2019 18:07

OP, we have just come back from Rovaniemi (yesterday) and I kind of know a little of what you are saying. We got in to see Santa before SantaPark opened so luckily had no queue. Santa asked DD what she wanted and made a little comment about her choices and then that was kind of it. We had the photo taken and then we left. In fairness, seeing Santa was not the highlight of the trip; the husky and reindeer safaris were for my DD. I don’t think you are unreasonable to be disappointed but you are unreasonable to share that with your DC.

Jackrussellsarecute · 23/12/2019 18:11

YANBU at all! We did this a few years ago (Santa’s Lapland) and loved it. Such an shame your trip was not what you hoped for. As others have said try for your children to focus on the good parts though- they will take their cue from you

itsgettingweird · 23/12/2019 18:14

We went 9 years ago.

I don't remember how long we queued or ds spoke to Santa. I do remember the toy he got and that he loved the fact it was real Santa. We took sleigh rides, went to arctic circle, wrote postcards, did the ancient people in caves thing and met elves.
And got diverted to on way home due to the back up at airports - which closed 5 minutes after we left England!

Despite sitting on runway for 1.5 hours before leaving and landing in Scotland at midnight and waiting for a coach back to Gatwick (we didn't even know if we'd be able to leave Lapland!) and being home 16 hours late - it still holds fantastic memories. It's what you make it.

But what I'm wondering is if different companies have a different slant and so each experience varies?

DecemberSnow · 23/12/2019 18:42

"""Both are very meh about Christmas now"""

Because santa didnt talk to them, they are 'meh' about Christmas??? Really? X

PoloMama · 23/12/2019 21:17

You are not being unreasonable. We went last year and had an amazing time. That is what you pay for. Although it’s just a glammed-up package hol you shouldn’t have to queue (our company were v clever with timings so that we didn’t) and you certainly shouldn’t get a grumpy, rushed Santa. Both I and DH left feeling like we’d met the real deal, which was rather odd. Make light of the experience with the kids and talk up the positives - spending time with reindeer, the snow, the elves, snowmobiling etc - and definitely complain very strongly to your holiday co. They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with a sub-standard experience.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 23/12/2019 21:23

You could use this as an opportunity to explain that Christmas isn't about Santa/FC and all about family and spending time together.

HeavenKnowsImMiserableCow · 23/12/2019 22:35

My sister went last year and it was so awful the children were crying asking to go home.So much waiting around and on and off coaches, plane, airport etc junk food . No Magic really she said. Although her social media posts did suggest otherwise...

NannyR · 23/12/2019 22:52

My parents took my niece to Lapland a couple of years ago and they said the Santa part was very convincing - the company (not sure which one) arranged it so that everyone who came on the trip from Leeds Bradford airport went to see a certain cabin where Santa had maps out of Leeds and West Yorkshire and had a bit of local knowledge of landmarks that kids would recognise (I presume they had a cabin for Manchester flights and Birmingham flights etc too). He spoke really good English and my niece was completely convinced he was the real thing.

Getoffmylilo · 23/12/2019 23:12

We went a few years ago in September (odd choice, long story). Totally different experience obviously as no queue (and no snow) but he spoke very good English. Big pressure from elves to buy photos etc. We didn't actually know whether we'd just get to have our photo taken with Santa Claus or whether we could chat to him so our expectations were very low and completely surpassed. I'm so sorry you didn't have the visit you hoped for. If it helps I wept buckets when going to Santa's grotto in Selfridges as a child for two years in a row - family story that always gets dragged up, I remember going there but don't remember being upset at all. Hopefully your two will feel the same. Hope you can find some other sparkly festive things to do.

Deadsouls · 23/12/2019 23:23

IMO you need to not dwell on this and perpetuate the feeling of disappointment. It'a done now. You're not in control of 'Santa' being in a mood (or rushed off his feet). I agree with another poster who said to make light of it.
Also you're negatively projecting into the future, that they will be disappointed for years because of this experience. Actually you don't know that to get true. This is your perception, not the actual reality. You are projecting your own feelings into this.
You wanted it to be 'perfect' (of course you did, why would you not?). But it did not live up to your idea of perfect or your expectation.
The trick now is to shift your attention from focusing on the negative and focus on what did go right and what was enjoyed.
Staying mired in the 'meh' won't change it.

Skysblue · 23/12/2019 23:29

That sucks! We did Santa at Hop Farm in Kent two years in a row and he was amazing, made such an effort to be jolly and realistic beard and grotto etc. There’s no excuse for him barely talking like that.

Jiggles101 · 23/12/2019 23:36

£2.2k for 3 DAYS

How the other half live!

NoArmaniNoPunani · 23/12/2019 23:40

I paid over 4k. It was the most amazing holiday and worth every penny

Emwyard · 23/12/2019 23:57

Hi, I am curious as to which one you went to as we were in one just outside Levi in Finland & he was brilliant. He was over running the booked time slot you had because he was interacting so much with the children. He had thier own letter too as you had to give the reps your “magic ticket”
I feel so sorry for you that you had that experience. What about creating a video for them from the Portable North Pole app to show them on xmas eve. We do it & its fab, while they are putting pyjamas on it “appears’ downstairs. You could put a note from Santa with it ( can download to usb for a tv) that apologises for not talking but he had a sore throat & wasnt able to but didnt want to disappoint you by not seeing him after travelling all that way? Xx

Emwyard · 23/12/2019 23:58

Us too, got back sunday & it was worth saving for over a year to do xx

blue25 · 23/12/2019 23:59

I just don’t see the point of blowing so much money on a trip like that. Almost bound to end in disappointment.

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